Universal Human Rights: A Spotlight on Homelessness

In Paris on December 10th 1948; the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed our Universal Declaration of Human Rights. One of those rights being Article 22: The Right to Social Security. It states that as human beings we have the right to a affordable housing, childcare, enough money to live on and healthcare when we are ill or old.Yet there are over half a million people in the United States that are homeless as of 2016. This includes individuals who are “doubled up” or “couch surfing”. In Portland Oregon the cost of housing is too much for a person trying to survive on minimum wage. Because of this many families and individuals have lost their homes and end up living on the streets; which is proven to cause mental and physical disabilities.

They provide three meals everyday for the homeless. They also have shelter program for men struggling with addiction, unemployment or home issues. In return for their room and board these men are required to volunteer at the blanchet house meal program, follow the shelter rules and most importantly avoid using drugs and alcohol. Rebecca Koffman, a reporter for the Oregonian wrote an article about the opening of the new Blanchet House building. In it she wrote, “The new building will house 48 men in rooms furnished with bedbug-resistant beds as well as drawers, desks, chairs, cork boards, lamps and alarm clocks. The rooms are above a state-of-the-art kitchen and a dining room called the Founders’ Café. It will seat 80 to 100 guests, compared to 41 in the old building” (Koffman). Hundreds of homeless people are feed thanks to them and without their shelter 48 men would also be on the streets. One of the men who they helped was Dennis Arnold. In March 2012, was when he first went to the organization as person with no job needing help, That day was the start of his new beginning thanks to Blanchet House. On their website is a short description of each of the staff; one of them being Dennis Arnold. In it, it says, “After being with the Blanchet House for several months he was made floor supervisor and then ultimately was hired as the full time Food Services and Building Manager in April 2013” (Staff). In just a year they were able to give him a full time job and change his life. He now is continuing his work there as the Purchasing, Building and Food Services Manager and is traveling the world and experiencing new cultures. Unfortunately what Blanchet House does is not enough to help the thousands of people who are struggling on the streets. In the 2015 Point in Time Count